Never Say Never
by Prydwen Magic
Summary: Merlin forces Arthur and Gwen to admit their feelings for each other.


**Title: **Never Say Never

**Author: ** **prydwen_magic**

**Rating: **PG

**Characters/Pairings: **Arthur/Gwen, Merlin

**Spoilers:** Brief spoilers for 2x12 & 2x13 but not really.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Summary: **Merlin makes Arthur and Gwen admit their feelings for each other.

**A/N: **Not totally happy with this, but it was written in less than an hour when I should have been revising, the idea wouldn't leave me alone. Loosely based on the song "Never Say Never" by The Fray. Comments are always welcome.

Merlin was walking along the ramparts with Arthur, the two of them had been inspecting the guards, or rather, Arthur had been inspecting them while Merlin rambled on about nonsense. Except, suddenly, it wasn't nonsense – not to Arthur.

"Oh look, there's Gwen!" Merlin smiled goofily, happy to have seen his friend, hoping for a bit of interaction between the handmaiden and the Prince: the two of them had been gloomy lately, and Merlin thought perhaps the lack of each other was the problem.

Now Arthur looked, he could see that the fool was right, a dash of lavender was visible a bit further along the wall, she still hadn't seen them, to busy studying the people below, _her people._ Arthur shook the thought from his mind, it could never be. Still, it struck him how queenly she looked, just stood there, graceful, and pensive.

"Oh, come on Arthur – why do you look so miserable? The love of your life is stood in front of you!" Merlin waved his hand past the Prince's face, a frown appearing on his features.

"Don't call her that."

"Why? It's true." Arthur pulled Merlin behind a statue, out of sight of the lady in question.

"She doesn't want it to be, so don't mention it again!"

Merlin, being Merlin, completely disregarded the order and kept up with the questioning "What do you mean, of course she wants it to be true – she loves you too! Doesn't she?"

Arthur sighed; he wasn't going to get out of this one without either telling Merlin the truth or throttling him. As much as the second option was appealing, he didn't fancy explaining to Guinevere the reason her friend was no longer breathing. "She said we can never be. She thinks I'll find someone else, a Princess." He scoffed, and then glared as Merlin began to laugh.

"Is that it?" Merlin shouted incredulously.

"Ssshhhhh you idiot!"

"Only 3 weeks ago she was hugging you!" Merlin whispered furiously.

"Out of relief."

"She was relieved that I was alive – but she wasn't hugging me!"

"Because she'd probably break you!" Arthur argued back, gesturing his manservant's skinny frame, his voice still at a whisper, "Besides, you were preoccupied with Gaius."

"Oh, for heaven's sake Arthur! She loves you, but she's being selfless, she's being _Gwen_!"

"You can't know that." Arthur whispered solemnly, staring at his feet.

"Oh, stop looking like a love sick puppy Arthur, it's pathetic."

Arthur was about to protest, when Merlin seized him by the arm, pulling him towards where Gwen was standing, oblivious to the two clowns heading her way.

"Merlin, you idiot! What are you doing?" Arthur whispered furiously, not daring to fight back, lest Gwen hear.

"The two of you are too stubborn, you're perfect for each other if only you'd have a bit of faith! So shut up and let Auntie Merlin sort it out!"

"Don't you mean Uncle Merlin?" Arthur raised a princely eyebrow in his best Gaius impression, still utterly bewildered by his manservant's actions.

"Whatever." With that Arthur was unceremoniously shoved into a small alcove, only a few metres away from where Merlin was happily bounding over to Guinevere. He could hear every word they were saying.

"Hello Gwen!"

"Merlin, you scared me. How are you?" She shot him a strained smile, and Arthur felt a wave of worry for her, mingled with anger that she couldn't tell him what was wrong – not that he didn't know, it was Morgana – but his position didn't allow him to help her. He hated it. He tried to focus back on what the two servants were discussing.

"I'm good, you?"

"Fine." She turned back to the town.

"Really? Because you don't look it."

_Tactful Merlin _Arthur thought shaking his head.

"I'm fine, really, it's just, I don't have much to do since Morgana left, and…"

"You miss her." It wasn't a question, and Merlin looked ashamed, though Arthur couldn't fathom why.

"Yes, but I'm sure she's happy wherever she is – she didn't want to be here anymore…" Arthur frowned at this, but focused back on Guinevere.

"Then, what's wrong?" When she failed to answer both men noticed a small blush creep up her cheeks, and it brought smiles to both their faces.

"Could it be to do with a certain royal prat?"

Arthurs silent protests were cut short immediately when Gwen interrupted "Don't call him that!" His grin could have outshone the sun, and it was almost matched with Merlin's.

"Ah…so it is about Arthur then?"

"I didn't say that!" Her cheeks were now a full rosy red.

"You didn't have to… Oh come on Gwen! I already know, so what's the problem?"

"There's nothing to know Merlin, we can never be." Gwen muttered curtly, turning away from her friend.

"Oh!" Merlin was at the end of his tether now… there was no doubt these two would make good monarchs – they were both so royally stubborn!

"Arthur loves you, you love Arthur! What is the problem?"

Suddenly Gwen whirled to face Merlin, he and Arthur were horrified to see tears streaming down her face.

"Perhaps that I'm a servant? That I'm not good enough for him? That one day I'll have to watch the man I love marry some far away princess, and probably have to serve at their wedding? Take care of their children? Do you have any idea how that feels Merlin?"

Merlin was filled with regret, how could he have missed how much she was hurting? Not knowing what else to do he pulled the crying girl into a hug.

Gwen clung to him, not knowing how else to react. Suddenly Merlin's small frame was pulled away, only to be replaced by a stronger, more muscular one - one of those rough, tough, save the world kind of men – _Arthur_. She clung to him tighter, now he had heard everything there was no going back. She felt him press his face into her hair, holding her tightly – she had never felt so safe. She heard Merlin make his excuses and leave, but at that moment she couldn't find it in herself to care.

Gently Arthur loosened his grip on her, arms still around her waist, pulling back just enough to see her face.

"Arthur?"

"Oh, Guinevere, I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, I just, I hate this!"

He was shocked by her outburst, but totally agreed with her. He tenderly brushed a curl across her face, tucking it behind her ear.

"Do you love me?"

And now, all of a sudden, she had the courage to say the words she had been hiding from for so long: "Yes, Arthur, I love you."

He smiled, and she returned the gesture, "I love you too."

Meanwhile Merlin, hidden under a window just above where the couple were standing grinned goofily. _Finally._

Then Arthur pulled her close once more "That's all that matters. I don't know how but, we'll find a way, somehow, I'll look through some old books or something…." He felt her giggle against his chest and sighed.

"You know I'm not good with words, but…"

Suddenly a small rock landed beside them, narrowly missing Gwen's head– Gwen backed away, panicked that they had been discovered, but Arthur, angry that Guinevere had almost been injured, clung onto her, holding her close. Together they glanced up at the window

"What he's trying to say," called Merlin as he laughed at the varying looks of shock and annoyance on the lovers' faces, "Is never say never!"

As he disappeared, Gwen finally gave into her laughter, Arthur joining her after a moments – deciding now was not a good time for moping.

"So was he right?" Gwen asked, grinning up at him.

"What?" Arthur's eyes shone brightly.

"Never Say Never!" Guinevere repeated in her most dramatic voice.

Now he smiled, "Yes, yes he was."


End file.
